Apparatus for the production of ammonium sulphate



June 1, 1965' 5, GERRARD I 3,186,802

APPARATUS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF AMMONIUM SULPHATE Original Filed March 2. 1961 United States Patent 3,186,892 APPARATUS F01? THE PRGDUQTHGN 0F AMMUNIUM SULEHATE John Stanton Gerrard, Bramhall, England, assignor to Simon- James Limited, Cheadle Heath, Stoclrport, England, a British company Griginal application Mar. 2, 1961, Ser. No. 2,951. Divided and this application Nov. 9, 1961, Ser. No. 151,392 Claims priority, application Great Britain, Mar. 5, 1960, 7,888/66 3 Claims. (Cl. 23-260) The present application is a division of application Ser. No. 92,951, filed March 2, 1961, for which priority of March 5, 1960 is claimed based on British specification 7,888, filed March 5, 1960, and applicant herein claims benefit of said British filing date, March 5, 1960 for the present application.

This invention relates to the production of ammonium sulphate as a product of the removal of sulphur oxides from flue gases, and in particular relates to apparatus in which to carry out a process whereby the quantity of ammonia needed is reduced as a result of a reduction in the amount of acid produced in the process.

In the removal of sulphur oxides from gases produced by the combustion of sulphur-burning fuels, the gases can be washed with a solution containing ammonium sulphate, ammonium sulphite and ammonium bisulphite which is produced by the reaction of ammonia with sulphur dioxide. After being so fixed, the solution is then treated in an autoclave or converter to convert the ammonium salts therein to ammonium sulphate and sulphur.

A solution of ammonium salts may be passed continuously through heat exchange means in which it is heated under a sufficient pressure and for an adequate retention time for the conversion of the ammonium salts into ammonium sulphate.

Where pure ammonia is used for the removal of sulphur oxides, in the absence of hydrogen sulphide, no thiosulphate is produced and the quantity of acid needed for the conversion reaction becomes greater as, in this case, the acid initially substantially disappears, only to reappear at the end of the reaction.

a High exit acidities lead to a heavy demand for ammonia to neutralise the sulphuric acid formed and also lead to excessive corrosion in the plant. Ammonia is, however, somewhat scarce, and synthetic ammonia has often to be used at a high cost.

The object of the present invention is to provide apparatus in which to carry out the process disclosed in United States patent application Serial No. 92,951, filed March 2, 1961, whereby the above disadvantages of high acidity and the corresponding heavy demand for ammonia are substantially eliminated.

A better understanding of the invention may, however, be obtained from the following description, which should be read with reference to the acompanying drawing, which is a substantially. diagrammatic sectional elevation of one form of apparatus particularly adapted for carrying out the process of the above United States specification.

As shown in the drawing, the apparatus comprises, essentially, a pre-heater, or heat exchanger, 10, a reactor 11, and a sulphur separator 12, each of which is steamjacketed and is supplied with steam from a source thereof by means of a header 13 from which branches 14, 15 and 16 lead, respectively, to the preheater 10, reactor 11 and separator 12. The header 13 is provided with a shutoil valve 1'7 and the branches 14, 15 and Marc each provided with isolating valves 18, 19 and 23, respectively. Steam from the respective steam jackets is exhausted through branches 21, 22 and 23 and an exhaust header 24$.

The pre-heater It comprises a closed container the interior of which is a steam space 25 through which is passed a sinuous or convoluted conduit 26.

The reactor 11 is of the type which forms the subjectmatter of our co-pending United States patent application Serial No. 92,896, filed March 2, 1961, now abandoned and comprises a cylindrical container 27 disposed with its axis substantially vertical and being closed at both its ends except for an inlet conduit 28 at its upper end and an outlet conduit 29 at its lower end. The inlet conduit 28 is a'continuation of the conduit 26 in the pre-heater 10.

The conduits 28, 29 enter the container 27 coaxially of its opposite ends, and between these ends and coaxially of the container is located a reaction tube 30 which is of such a length as to leave a space 31 between its upper end and the upper end of the container and a space 32 between its lower end and the lower end of the container. Adjacent its upper end, the reaction tube 30 has a venturi 33 formed therein.

The opposite ends of the reaction tube 39 are passed through, and secured to, header plates 34 and 35, the peripheries of which are secured to the walls of the container 27.

Nested around the reaction tube 39 is a series of return tubes 36 which are of the same length as the reaction tube 3d and are passed through and secured to, the header plates 34, 35. The return tubes 36 are parallel with the reaction tube 30 and are arranged therearound in one or more common pitch circles concentrically therewith.

A bafiie plate 37 is disposed substantially midway be tween the lower header plate 35 and the outlet 29 and lies parallel to the header plate 35. Its diameter is less than that of the container 27.

The sulphur separator 12 comprises a separating vessel 38 having an inverted conical base 39 to the outer periphery of which is secured a cylindrical portion 40 and into the apex of which is passed an outlet conduit 41 having a valve 42 therein.

The vessel 33 is located within a cylindrical steam jacket 43, both the upper and lower ends of which are closed except for the inlet conduit 29 and outlet conduit 41 which pass through the upper and lower ends, respectively, of the jacket 43, and a further outlet conduit 44 which is passed through the upper end of the steam jacket 43 from the cylindrical portion 40 of the separating vessel 38. A valve 45 is located in the conduit 44. i

The outlet conduit 29 from the reactor 11 is passed through the upper closed end cylindrical portion ill of the separation vessel 38 and, within the portion 40, has a conical member 46 secured thereto in such a manner that fluid flowing downthe conduit 29 flows along the conical member 46. The conduit 29 between the outlet of the reactor 11 and the inlet to the separation vessel 38 is provided with a steam jacket 47 which is connected to the steam supply header 13 by a conduit 48 through a valve 49, and to the steam discharge header 24 by a conduit 50.

The sinuous or convoluted coil 26 in the pro-heater 10 is connected to a liquor source by a conduit 51 which has a valve 52 therein. v

Where it enters the reactor 11, the conduit 23 may have a restriction formed therein as described in the afore- I molecules per litre) 0.66 ammonium sulpl1ite, 1.04 am of the separator 12 into the,

' V 3 monium bisulphite and 1.55 ammonium sulphate, with an iodine number of 3295.

The conversion of ammonium sulphite and ammonium bisulphite to ammonium sulphate and sulphur may be represented by the equation:

4 Qa-l- 4) 2 5* 4) 2 4+ 2 A molar ratio between ammonium bisulphite and ammonium sulphite of 2:1 may be obtained by adding 0.047 mole per litre of sulphuric acid. It is desirable to withdraw the reacted liquor from the process with an excess free acid content of approximately 0.1 mole per litre of sulphuric acid and to achieve this composition by normal known reaction processes an additional 0.1 mole per litre of sulphuric acid needs to be added to the original liquor, making a total of 0.147 mole per litre.

The reaction between sulphuric acid and ammonium sulphite is according to the equation:

2(NH SO +H SO 2NH HSO (NHQ 5.0 and the mixture enters the reactor containing (in gram molecules per litre) 0.366 of ammonium sulphite, 1.334 of ammonium bisulphite and 1.697 of ammonium sulphate. The reaction of this mixture is difiicult to control, as

it proceeds slowly for some time and then accelerates so rapidly that it may proceed at a dangerous and explosive rate.

If, however, all the sulphite is removed by adding so much sulphuric acid that an excess thereof is present before the reaction commences, then the reaction will proceed smoothly and controllably.

Thus, if 0.38 mole per litre of sulphuric acid is added to the original'liquor, the mixture before conversion will contain 1.70 of ammonium bisulphite, 0.05 of sulphuric acid and 1.88 of ammonium sulphite. After conversion, it will contain 2.73 moles per litre of ammonium sulphate and 0.333 mole per litre (or approximately 3.3% by weight) of sulphuric acid. Under these conditions the reaction will proceed smoothly and controllably, but this result is only achieved at the cost of using an-excessive amount of sulphuric acid, with the attendant disadvantage of introducing highly corrosive conditions. 7

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that if the acid is reduced to reasonable limits, the reaction is likely to be uncontrollable and possibly explosive, whilst it the reaction is to proceed smoothly and controllably there will be excessive corrosioudue to needed.

The above alternative difiiculties and disadvantages of M the large amountot acid- 4 34 to be drawn down the reaction tube 30 and to mix with the incoming feed liquor from the conduit 28. The incoming liquor corresponds to wash liquor to which has been added 0.147 mole per litre of sulphuric acid and which, as previously explained, still contains free ammonium sulphite. When mixed with the returned reacted liquor, the remaining sulphite is converted to bisulphite and the resultant mixture contains sufficient free acid to allow the reaction to proceed smoothly. By the time the liquor has reached the bottom of the reaction tube 30, the conversion of ammonium sulphite and ammonium bisulphite to ammonium sulphate and sulphur is complete, the sulphur being in the form of molten globules of varying sizes.

The conversion is continuous, and as liquor is drawn from the space 31 into the reaction tube 30 its place is taken by liquor from the space 32 above the bafile 37,

' which flows .up the return tubes 36 into the space 31; the

volume so flowing being the same as the amount drawn from the space 31 into the reaction tube by the action of the venturi 33.

The, volume, of liquor flowing down the reaction tube 30, however, is the volume of the liquor from the conduit 28' plus the volume of inducted liquor from the space 31 and the excess of liquor flowing down the reaction tube 301 over that flowing back up the return tubes 36 flows over the bafile 37 into the outlet conduit 29.

Between the battle plate 37 and the lower header plate 35, the liquor leaving the reaction tube 30 is divided substantially into two strata; the upper one going to the return tubes 36 and the lower one to the outlet 29. As the molten or liquilied sulphur is of higher specific gravity than the ammonium sulphate liquor, the larger globules of sulphur sink towards the bafiie 37 and are taken by the lower stratum to the outlet. The smaller sulphur globules, having less bulk and weight, tend to be carried back up the return tubes 36 to be repassed with the incoming 1 feed liquor, down the reaction tube 30, where they are the known processes are overcome in the present apparatus wherein the incoming acidified feed liquor is mixed with a proportion of recirculated reacted liquor contain-- ing approximately 0.1 mole per litre of sulphuric acid so that in the reaction the ammonium sulphite and ammonium bisulphite are converted to ammonium sulphate and sulphur under acid conditions which allow the reaction to proceed smoothly and controllably without the establishment of highly corrosive acid conditions. 'It also enables economies to be effected in the use of sulphuric acid.

from a source thereof is fed to the pre-heater coil 26 through the conduit 51 and valve 5; coil 26, 0.147 mole per litre of sulphuric. acid are added Referring again to the drawing, thereiore,,wash liquor On its way to the to thewash liquor which is pre-heated in the'coil 26 by I the steam. in the steam chamber 25 and then passes through the conduit 28 to the reactor 11..

(For the purpose of this description it is tobe assumed that the desired acidity of approximately 0.1 mole per litre has already been establishedin the reactor. This may be achieved by adding the appropriate quantity of acid to the reactor 11.)

The liquid from the pipe 28 enters the upperend of the reaction tube 30 and in passing. through the venturi 33 causes a pressure reduction at the throat thereof which T causes liquor from the space 31, above the header plate aration vessel 12,. and the liquid given a further opportunity to mix, or agglomerate, with newly formed sulphur globules and so to reach a sufficient bulk to descend into the lower stratum and be passed to the outlet conduit 29.

Thereactor 11 is maintained at a reaction temperature by steam admitted from the header 13, by conduit 15, into the space surrounding the tubes 30 and 36 and bounded by the header plates 34 and 35.

The conduit 29 enters the upper wall of the sulphur sepammonium sulphate and the sulphur globules flow down the cone. 46. Because of the necessity to retain the sulphur in'its liquified condition, the conduit 29 is provided with the. steam jacket 47.

As the ammonium sulphate and liquified' sulphur mixture flowsdown-the inner surface of thecone 46, the

sulphur, being of higher specific gravity, falls into the inverted conical base of the separating vessel 38, whilst the ammonium sulphate solution lies on the surface of the sulphur and, when the vessel 38 is full, passes through a conduit 44 to a washing tower (not shown) or to storage.

The sulphur is withdrawn from the base of the vessel 38 through a conduit 41 provided with a valve 42.

The vessel 38 is provided with a steam jacket 43 to which steam is admitted from the header 13'through the conduit 16 and the valve 20.

The plant is operated at an internal pressure in the region of 150 lbs. per square inch and at a temperature in V C. As the acid contentof the liquor re-circulating in. the per litre. (i.e. approximately 1%) it follows that this is also the acid content of the. ammonium sulphate liquor leaving the vessel 38 through the outlet 44.1 Its iodine number is approximately 40; Under the previously known practice, if sufiicient acid is added (as described hereabove) to ensure a smooth and controllable reaction, the

least 3.3% of sulphuric acid.

reactor 11 is in the region of 0.1 mole.

It will thus be apparent that the present apparatus produces an end product which contains a greatly reduced proportion of acid and thus leads to economies in the use of sulphuric acid and the reduction of the corrosion problem.

What I claim is:

1. Apparatus for recoving ammonium sulphate from flue gas washing liquor, comprising a pro-heater, means for adding a quantity of acid to said washing liquor, means for passing said washing liquor through said preheater after acidification thereof, a reaction vessel having a reaction zone, means for applying heat to said reaction vessel, means for supplying said acidified washing liquor from said pre-heater to said reaction zone in said reaction vessel to convert said liquor into ammonium sulphate and sulphur, and means for recirculating a portion of said converted liquor back through said reaction zone whereby to increase the acidity of the liquor undergoing conversion therein, said reaction vessel comprising a reaction tube having a venturi at the inlet end thereof said means for supplying acidified Washing liquor delivering directly to said venturi, and a plurality of return tubes disposed in equispaced relation around said reaction tubc,.a bafi le plate disposed adjacent that end of said reaction tube remote from the venturi therein and an outlet adjacent the side of the baffle plate remote from the reaction tube and below said baflie plate, liquid between said baflie plate and the adjacent end of the reaction tube being drawn through 6 said return tubes back to the venturi end of the reaction tube under the influence of the pressure drop in said venturi caused by the passage of said acidified washing liquor therethrough.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, comprising a sulphur separating vessel below and in liquid communication with the outlet of said reaction vessel, said separating vessel comprising an inverted cone-shaped base and a cylindrical upper portion and having a cone suspended therein from the outlet of said reaction vessel in such manner that liquor flowing from said outlet flows over the inner surface of said cone, an outlet from the apex of said inverted cone-shaped base, an outlet from the upper end of said cylindrical portion, and a steam jacket enclosing said separating vessel.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the outlet from said reaction vessel comprises a conduit connecting said reaction vessel with said separating vessel, and a steam jacket surrounding said conduit.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,063,007 5/13 Bosch et al. 23119 2,095,074 10/37 Muus 23-260 X MORRIS O. WOLK, Primary Examiner.

MAURICE A. BRINDISI, Examiner. 

1. APPARATUS FOR RECOVING AMMONIUM SULPHATE FROM FLUE GAS WASHING LIQUOR, COMPRISING A PRE-HEATER, MEANS FOR ADDING A QUANTITY OF ACID TO SAID WASHING LIQUOR, MEANS FOR PASSING SAID WASHING LIQUOR THROUGH SAID PREHEATER AFTER ACIDIFICATION THEREOF, A REACTION VESSEL HAVING A REACTION ZONE, MEANS FOR APPLYING HEAT TO SAID REACTION VESSEL, MEANS FOR SUPPLYING SAID ACIDIFIED WASHING LIQUOR FROM SAID PRE-HEATER TO SAID REACTION ZONE IN SAID REACTION VESSEL TO CONVERT SAID LIQUOR INTO AMMONIUM SULPHATE AND SULPHUR, AND MEANS FOR RECIRCULATING A PORTION OF SAID CONVERTED LIQUOR BACK THROUGH SAID REACTION ZONE WHEREBY TO INCREASE THE ACIDITY OF THE LIQUOR UNDERGOING CONVERSION THEREIN, SAID REACTION VESSEL COMPRISING A REACTION TUBE HAVING A VENTURI AT THE INLET END THEREOF SAID MEANS FOR SUPPLYING ACIDIFIED WASHING LIQUOR DELIVERING DIRECTLY TO SAID VENTURI, AND A PLURALITY OF RETURN TUBES DISPOSED IN EQUISPACED RELATION AROUND SAID REACTION TUBE, A BAFFLE PLATE DISPOSED ADJACENT THAT END OF SAID REACTION TUBE REMOTE FROM THE VENTURI THEREIN AND AN OUTLET ADJACENT THE SIDE OF THE BAFFLE PLATE REMOTE FROM THE REACTION TUBE AND BELOW SAID BAFFLE PLATE, LIQUID BETWEEN SAID BAFFLE PLATE AND THE ADJACENT END OF THE REACTION TUBE BEING DRAWN THROUGH SAID RETURN TUBES BACK TO THE VENTURI END OF THE REACTION TUBE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF THE PRESSURE DROP IN SAID VENTURI CAUSED BY THE PASSAGE OF SAID ACIDIFIED WASHING LIQUOR THERETHROUGH. 